What is the best wood to burn?
The best firewood is simply dry firewood. Here is how to spot logs under 20% moisture, what the Ready to Burn label means, how to season…
Blyth's housing, and why it matters for a stove
Blyth is Northumberland's largest town, and its homes span more than two centuries. The port area and Cowpen Quay began to grow in the early 1800s, with much of the terraced housing around the old town built between the 1850s and 1890s. Bath Terrace still has late Georgian brick houses. Later came large waves of building in the 1920s and 1930s and again from the 1950s to the 1970s, creating estates such as Newsham Farm, South Beach and the Avenues. Newer developments continue on the edges of town.
That history gives us three broad starting points:
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces, with chimney breasts and shared stacks, often with old flues that need lining.
- Inter-war and post-war houses, many built with a chimney for a coal fire or back boiler, some since removed or capped.
- Later houses built for central heating, often with no chimney at all.
Smoke control comes first
Northumberland County Council lists the whole of the former Blyth Valley Borough as a smoke control area, and Blyth was the borough's main town. That shapes every stove we would propose here.
In a smoke control area you can burn wood only on a Defra-exempt stove, using the fuels the manufacturer approves, or burn authorised smokeless fuels on any suitable appliance. Councils can issue civil penalties for excess smoke from chimneys, so getting this right protects you. Check your address on the council's map, and read our explainer on smoke control rules.
Replacing an old coal fire or back boiler
Plenty of Blyth homes once had a coal fire, and some still have an old open grate, a tired stove or a redundant back boiler. Traditional house coal can no longer be sold in England, and older appliances were not designed for today's fuels or standards. A modern Ecodesign stove is far cleaner. Taking out an old back boiler may also mean changes to plumbing, which we flag at survey. Our stove replacement service covers this kind of job.
Terraced stacks and old flues
In Blyth's terraces, chimneys often sit in a shared stack along the ridge or party wall, with flues side by side. After decades of coal smoke, the inside of a flue can be cracked or leaking even when the stack looks sound from the street. Before fitting a stove, we check:
- which flue serves your fireplace, as routes can cross in shared stacks,
- whether a smoke test shows leakage into a neighbour's flue or the loft,
- the condition of the pots, flaunching and pointing,
- whether the chimney breast has been altered below.
A stainless steel chimney liner is the usual fix, giving your stove its own sealed flue. If the stack has been taken down or the breast removed, a twin-wall flue may be the better option.
Living by the sea
Blyth is open to the North Sea, and homes near South Beach, the promenade and the harbour take the brunt of the weather. Strong onshore winds can cause downdraught, and salty air is hard on metal outside the house. We look at stack height, nearby buildings and terminal design, and specify flue parts and cowls with coastal exposure in mind. Damp coastal air also makes good log storage important. Keep logs covered, off the ground and well ventilated, and our guide to the best wood to burn explains why moisture content matters.
Wood or multi-fuel?
Many Blyth households are used to solid fuel, and a multi-fuel stove gives the flexibility of logs and approved smokeless fuel. A dedicated wood burner is a good choice if you have room to store seasoned wood. Wood sold in quantities under two cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, which helps when buying dry logs in small amounts. Find out more about our multi-fuel installations.
Conservation areas in Blyth
Blyth has several conservation areas, including Blyth Central, Blyth Heritage (covering streets such as Bridge Street and Bath Terrace) and Bondicar Terrace. If your home is in one, a new external flue or changes to a chimney may need planning permission, and listed buildings may need listed building consent. Check with Northumberland County Council before work starts.
Our process
- Enquiry: tell us about your house and the room you want heated.
- Survey: chimney or flue route, hearth, ventilation and smoke control status.
- Written quote: clear and itemised. Every home is different, so we survey before pricing.
- Installation: including a carbon monoxide alarm, required in England when a new or replacement solid fuel appliance is fitted.
- Certification: through a competent person scheme such as HETAS, or signed off by Building Control.
To arrange a survey in Blyth, Cowpen, Newsham or South Beach, contact us for a written quote.
